You can’t catch bonefish until you can catch bonefish. It’s a lot like the one hand clapping thing.
via Flatswalker: SaltWater Fly Fishing Guide Blog – Flatswalker.
Flatswalker lays down some rules/guidelines he’s developed over the years. Always a good read. Check it out.
Now, Sarah has a leg up on most folks starting out trying to find their own bonefish. Her husband is one of the best anglers I know, my friend Shane. She’s had a pretty good teacher and that can really reduce the learning curve, but it is still an accomplishment to score your first bonefish.
Nice bonefish Sarah!
Here’s Sarah’s story in her own words:
I’ve been on seven bonefishing trips in the last several years. I’m grateful when I realize
that’s twice (oaky maybe 7 times) as may as most anglers dream about…in a lifetime. A
couple of those trips I didn’t even get any follows. During the earlier trips, my husband
and guide, Shane was slowing teaching me the ways of the ghost of the flats. What to
look for, how to spot them, how to cast into the wind, how to clear your line when the
fish takes off, how not to lose a finger while they run…About four years ago (with the
help of husband guide by my side) I was able to spot, cast to, and land my first fish and
then my second the same day. It was a huge accomplishment. And those two bonefish
remain the biggest I’ve landed since then. We weren’t married yet at the time, but I
secretly think that’s when he starting thinking about making me his wife.As any bonefish angler knows, when chasing the elusive flats dweller, Murphy’s Law
truly applies. I’ve done it all wrong, many many times. I’ve seen a large school, gotten
excited only to cast and find out the hard way that my line is wrapped around my foot.
I’ve cast to a bonefish shaped clump of turtle grass only to be frustrated when it didn’t
try to eat my fly. Then, there’s casting in the wind. I’ve stared at objects “that could
be a fish” so long with the hopes of using my jeti mind skills to somehow will it into
becoming a bonefish. Not so much. I’ve made the most beautiful casts only to plop the
tiny fly down on the fish’s head so as to spook him so bad he tells all his buddies to steer
clear of that flat for the rest of the day. I’ve tried to make casts into the wind only to have
my line fall in a jumbled mess a few feet away. I’ve broke fish off because I didn’t “let
him run.” Did I mention the wind? What can go wrong will go wrong when bonefishing.But, once in a great while, the fish gods smile down upon you and everything goes right.
Today was that day. Husband guide dropped me off to walk a flat by myself while he
walked the boat a ways away. He was a good 200 yards away when I spotted 6 fish
coming at me on my right side about 80 feet away. Wind and sun at my back. (“That’s
when all the conditions are right for a good time.” – Alan Jackson) So, my heart starts
thumping and I make my cast…about 50-60 feet. One cast. Three strips. Fish on. Big
smile, giggles out loud. I had done it all…all by myself!! All is right in my little world
today.
If Aitutaki were an oyster, the budding bonefishing industry would surely be its pearl.
via The pearl of Aitutaki | PostIndependent.com.
Well, look at that, Butch Leone! A nice little story about Aitutaki that features Butch Leone, who has started a tagging program there in his little piece of the Cook Islands.
Fantastic.
I had my last day on the water, a short session, just a couple of hours. Landed some fish, including a couple out of a little pocket up against the bank that has been producing for me for YEARS. Love that little slot. Made me happy to pull a couple fish out of there.
I fished my favorite spot again today – Prospect Ave. on the Upper Sacramento River. It is a special place. I have a long, long history with Prospect. I remember when there was a bridge at Prospect that got washed away one winter. I’ll bet not even the Trout Underground can claim they remember it when there was a bridge at Prospect, but there was.
The river is undergoing reverse development. There are old, abandoned homes along the river and places where bridges have been wiped out, but there aren’t any new homes being build, nor foundations for future bridges. It does turn the clock back a bit.
I’ve seen this river in high water and low water and in the morning light and in the dark of night. I’ve had good days and bad days at Prospect, but many, many more good days than bad ones.
I learned to fly fish here. It is my home water.
If I’m good and the startup I’m at does really well, I might just get to know some bit of tropical flat in the same way that I know this place. That would be something worth doing.
Home
I GTFO and headed North. Got there in time to hit the river. It was exactly what I needed.
Not big... but pretty. Love these fish.
And after a few hours of fishing… this…
Beer at the Dunsmuir Brewing Company
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust continues to be one of my favorite nonprofits. Support them if you can. If you are REALLLLLY into bones and conservation, head to Key Largo in November for the Symposium.
yeah... what he said.
Key Largo, FL: The Fourth International Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Symposium will take place on November 11th and 12th, 2011 at the International Game Fishing Association Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, FL.
Held every third year, this Symposium promises to be the largest and most informative to date. Two full days of presentations on cutting edge scientific research of bonefish, tarpon and permit from fisheries scientists around the world is scheduled, as well as panel discussions, fly casting seminars and tying clinics by some of the world’s noted flats anglers. On the final night an “Evening with the Legends” banquet will be emceed by author and angler Andy Mill, participants include; Joan Wulff, Bob Popovics, Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez, Sandy Moret, Rick Ruoff, Mark Sosin, Ralph Delph, Steve Huff, Bill Curtis, Stu Apte and George Hommell.
Leading up to and as part of the Symposium, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust will be auctioning multiple guided days of fishing and special one of a kind fishing adventures with expert guides who have donated their time to benefit BTT. For more information on these auctions and to submit your bids please go to www.tarbone.org and click on the the “Symposium Auctions” button.
Space is limited, so be sure to register early. All interested anglers are welcome. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.tarbone.org. We can also be reached at 239-283-4733 or info@tarbone.org.
Derek Rust is a guy I’ve actually fished with, which isn’t a common theme in terms of interviews I’ve done. Derek and I fished for surf perch and were largely unsuccessful in doing so. Derek is pretty big in social media, which is how I got to know him in the first place. He picked up and moved from the mountains of Northern CA to the flats of Southern Florida. It is a move I think many of us have at least toyed with in some fantasy world. Derek actually did it. That got me thinking that he might make a pretty interesting interview.
The pull….Permit,Tarpon and Bonefish! It was an easy decision. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity of a lifetime to work in the Keys as a guide, and since I was spending all of my free time and $ to go to the Keys to fish, it was a no brainer. I love Tahoe, but guiding there was part time at best. Florida offered a year round job on the water, and the opportunity to fish all I want on my days off 🙂
Nice bonefish there Derek
I think a lot of folks have part of them with a bit of a dream to go be a flats guide. What is one of the highlights and lowlights from your journey?
I guess some of the highlights so far would be catching my first Permit and first double digit Bone on fly, guiding people into the fish of a lifetime, meeting new people, exploring new water all over Southern Florida, and getting to fish just about every day! I am lucky to say that the highlights are still coming. The lowlights…..hmm. I guess the biggest one was leaving Tahoe itself and all of the incredible people I spent so much time with. I miss the guys I use to guide with out there, and I also miss the beautiful Northern Sierras, the pristine water, the evening Caddis hatches and Steelhead, and summer time sight fishing for Carp.
I’ve heard a lot about how rough the guide culture in Florida can be. What’s your experience with that?
The guide culture in FL….wow. That is a tough one. It can be extremely rough down here fitting in. I am the new guy in a place that is full of guides. Newcomers are not always welcome. I have taken a few licks from some of the older salty Captains down here,but, it is all part of being accepted. I never knew that fishing had so much politics! Tarpon season is the worst. Learning what is acceptable, and what is not takes a bit of time. But, it seems like courtesy will get you a long way down here.
Poonage... nice.
Favorite rod and reel?
My favorite rod and reel down here would have to go to my Scott S4S 9 wt with a Galvan Torque T-10 on it. It is a versatile rod and can get the job done.
Have you hopped over to the Bahamas? Some cheap flights that way.
I can sadly say that I have not made it to the Bahamas yet. Hopefully I can get over there really soon. BUt, you know how it is, too many fish to chase, too little time and $ to do it.
What advice would you give to an angler heading to Florida for the first time?
My best advice I can give to someone heading down here for the first time is practice your casting. Accuracy is key on the flats. A guy who can cast 100 feet of line and is wild as hell will not do as good as a guy who can only cast 50 feet and can put it on a dinner plate almost all of the time. It is almost always windy down here, so you MUST learn to cast into the wind. It can make or break a day on the water. Learn to cast straight into the wind, with the wind over each of your shoulders, with it at your back and from left to right. If you can do this it will greatly improve your odds of hooking up. Another thing to practice is shooting line. Minimalizing false casts is crucial. The water is clear down here, and waving a fly line around 25 times to deliver is cast of 40 feet is no good and will scare the hell out of these fish. Learn to shoot line on your backcast as well as your forward cast will give you better shots and getting a spooky fish to eat a fly. And lastly, I would highly recommend learning how to backcast, and, learning how to do it with accuracy. Not every shot down here is head on, and these fish can appear out of nowhere sometimes making turning the boat impossible. You will get more shots if you can backcast because frequently you just don’t have time to adjust the skiff for a perfect shot every time.
That liberal rag the New York Times, ran a story by Chris Santella about ole’ Christmas Island. Bloody lamestream media!
As a non-fish-eater, I was taken aback when Peter Kairaoi, the lead guide for Christmas Island Outfitters, took a healthy bite from a dead and rather pungent milkfish he was shredding and tossing into the water for chum.
via Giant Trevally Give Anglers a Fight on Christmas Island – NYTimes.com.
That’s a pretty good opening. Bravo Chris… bravo.
I love the “liberal press.” No, really. I do.
Mexico is nice. I like it there. I haven’t fished for bones there, sadly. My time has been spent throwing for Jacks on the Pacific side of things. I’d love to fish the bonefishy side though and this little vid is a nice invitation to check out Cozumel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raa1KrekW2k
POLICE across the Bahamas are being called on to stop the illegal netting and selling of bonefish in the Family Islands to protect the country’s multi-million dollar industry.
via Read the whole story at The Tribune.
Got to think it is hard for those Family Island/Out Island police to arrest folks for netting when they are probably related to each other and have grown up together.
Still… it makes good sense to clamp down on this sort of activity.
Aaron. The fish is in the water. That's good.
